When I connect to any IRC server, it's usually my ISP IP address/hostname. I own a domain, but I'm not using it for anything (no web hosting service or server). Is it possible for me to use my domain as my IRC hostname instead of my regular ISP hostname?

When I connect to any IRC server, it's usually my ISP IP address/hostname. I own a domain, but I'm not using it for anything (no web hosting service or server). Is it possible for me to use my domain as my IRC hostname instead of my regular ISP hostname?

It's usually a virtual host/vhost, this is controlled by the IRC server operators, often done to mask their connecting IP (..sometimes assigned by services, i.e: after identifying/authenticating).

You can either ask them to do this for you, or, as I mentioned in your previous topic here.. ask your ISP if switching to a business tier will allow them to assign a custom PTR record for your IP.

Generally the first option is easier, if they're your friends, justifying the PTR record to an ISP is often difficult.. and some have no procedure to change it for customers.

Well I'm talking about networks like Efnet, Freenode, etc. where it displays your public IP address with no vhost masking. Would I have to set up my own nameservers and have my reverse DNS point to my domain from my public IP address in order to change my host?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oko

Who controls primary DNS for your IRC server?

I have no idea, but this is for just IRC networks in general not just one

For IRC, the virtual host doesn't even have to be real.. on Freenode, it's not uncommon for someone to have nick@unaffiliated/account and all that requires is a private message to one of the several network operators, full procedure is on their FAQ somewhere.

To avoid contacting the operators of the IRC network, an ISP assigned PTR record needs to point to a real domain that has a matching A record, so having a static IP is an absolute requirement.

Generally it's a complicated procedure which needs the cooperation of a competent professional on both ends, it's more common for VPS/dedicated server providers to do this as generally they are allotted IP ranges by their ISP and are given control over PTR records.

Learning more about some of those protocols is probably advisable, it's generally an extensive topic and doing some reading of your own is encouraged.

The point is when you're connecting to an IRC server, the hostname they show for you is one the server was able to resolve using a vhost database, domain resolver routines, and if these fails to provide any result they just show your IP or whatever they feel like.

You can't directly influence how this will be displayed, not easily, and not by yourself.

Ah, okay...I was just trying to reproduce the same effect I had gotten while I had a VPS. All I did was change a couple of settings (set reverse DNS hostname and the A/CNAME records, and modify the /etc/hosts and hostname accordingly) and the IP I had on the server pointed to my domain (I think I also had to set my domain's DNS servers as the VPS's in the registrar's control panel). Whenever I joined an IRC network from the VPS, my hostname was shown as my domain name. This lead me to believe all I needed to do was set up my own DNS servers.